Today, ADL Philadelphia condemned the vandalism of the No Place for Hate® mural in Boyertown, PA. The mural has been a visible symbol for over a decade, and the Boyertown School District has been one of the longest-participating school districts in ADL’s No Place for Hate educational program. Shira Goodman, ADL Philadelphia’s Regional Director, explained, “This shameful act of vandalism demonstrates that even a community’s commitment to fighting hate cannot inoculate or protect it from all acts of hate. This should motivate every Boyertown resident and student to recommit to making Boyertown No Place for Hate.”
The graffiti on the mural depicts the logo of the Patriot Front, a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them alone. They define themselves as American fascists or American nationalists who are focused on preserving America’s identity as a European-American identity. Vandalism, propaganda drops, and flash demonstrations are favorite tactics of Patriot Front, which marched through Philadelphia during July 4 weekend. Patriot Front is responsible for the vandalism of several murals and statutes across multiple states in recent months.
News of the vandalism prompted a report of an anti-LGBTQ sticker left on the door of a café in Boyertown over the weekend. The café owners had not been planning to report the incident but did after learning the mural had been vandalized.
Goodman explained, “It is important to share news of these events so that the community can come together and counter hate speech with messages of inclusion, respect and welcoming diversity. We need to give allies the opportunity to stand together against hate, and we hope that these shameful acts spur better action by those who are committed to making Boyertown and all communities No Place for Hate.”